Awkward Synergy
by AlphaMonkey
Summary: A young noble. Family murdered. The scion of a ruling family, betrayed by her brother. A casteless thug. An inner-city hoodlum. A filthy woodsman living on the fringes of society. A mage. Can these people share a camp without driving each other crazy? No.


"No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You'll be begging for more than my pardon if you countermand my wishes on this. I… I forbid it. We are not bringing him with us!"

The blonde and the redhead traded looks, then traded shrugs. "She seems… adamant, Leliana."

"Agreed."

"Damn it, Cousland, I really hate it when the two of you talk about me like I'm not -right here.-"

"Sorry, Kolina." She caught herself and then forced herself into an only slightly mocking curtsy. "Ah, pardon, my lady Aeducan."

"Oh, just… let's dispense with all the ridiculous formalities, it's just bloody simpler that way…"

The blonde barely managed to stifle a snicker behind her gauntlet. "Sure, but in that case, could you stop calling me 'Cousland?' I have another name, you know."

"I am not calling you 'Shmooples,' the dwarf said with a smirk.

Leliana burst out laughing.

"That's the nug," the daughter of Bryce and Eleanor Cousland muttered through grit teeth.

Kolina feigned innocence. "Oh, is it? My apologies. 'Valeria,' then."

"You did walk right into that one," quipped the bard.

Valeria sighed, but ducked her head good-naturedly. "I did. That being said, you're still not in much of a position to be forbidding anything, friend dwarf."

"But you don't understand. It's… -Oghren.-"

"He's a capable warrior."

"I do not dispute this. If anyone amongst us can speak of his skill with a blade, it would be me. But by the same token, if anyone could speak of his penchant for public besottedness, general debauchery, and his uncanny ability to wake up in the middle of the Diamond Quarter sans pants, it would also be me. He'll be a liability."

"And I'd have to disagree with that assessment. I'm starting to think it's our… versatility that makes our merry little band so capable."

"You mean the fact that our compliment consists of assorted knaves, rogues and misfits?"

"It seems to work."

"Zevran is flinging knives at the casteless thug and laughing about it. I hardly consider this to be the basis of a good working relationship."

"Halden's laughing, too. I would consider it a bonding moment."

* * *

><p>"So. Humans. And dwarves. Eh? Eh?"<p>

"Ah. So that's where this is going. We elves are going to have ourselves a bonding moment of our own because… you know… -elves.-"

"I was just trying to make conversation, Korbin."

"So we're on a first name basis, then? Is that how it is, -Conlan?- Are you Dalish always this friendly? Shall I break out the wineskins? We can gossip like washerwomen, sing songs, share bawdy limericks, perhaps find ourselves a coterie of wenches to assail."

"Creators, you're an ass."

"That's the most intelligent thing you've said… ever."

* * *

><p>Oh, for Andraste's sake. The fire's gone out. -Again.-<p>

She rearranges the kindling so it'll catch more easily, and then levels an open palm at the little collection of twigs, dried moss and split logs.

*Fwwwooosh.*

She even makes the noise with her mouth and giggles right afterwards. "Fwoooooosh."

Jets of flame shoot from her hand and the collection of materials in the circular fire pit catches easily. In seconds, the campfire's roaring again, lending its warmth and light to fend off the onset of the evening chill.

She stands there for a few moments, trying not to shiver, lost in her thoughts, and it's not until there's a hand on her shoulder that she even notices there was someone coming up behind her. She starts.

"Heh. Whoops. Sorry to startle you, Harper."

She brushes a lock of bright red hair out of her eyes and smiles in embarrassment, the expression bringing out those awful cute high cheekbones of hers. "Um, no problem, Alistair. Just a little distracted by the… heh… you know…" She wiggles her fingers to emphasize her words. "'Fwooooosh.'"

His grin is sheepish. Awkward. But she likes it, anyway. It looks good on him. Natural. "You know, fwooshing is bad?"

"It is?" Her lips curl into a confused little pout.

"'Fwooshing' sounds a lot like 'swooping' and you know the story on that…"

She giggles and rolls her eyes. "Oh. Right."


End file.
